Amstelveen, Aug 28:
India’s women’s hockey team ended its FIH Hockey World Cup campaign on a historic note, defeating Germany 3-1 in the fifth-place classification match to record its best World Cup finish in 52 years.
Navneet Kaur starred in the victory with a brace as India produced a strong performance against the higher-ranked European side.
The fifth-place finish is India’s best at the Women’s World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1974, when the team finished fourth.
India displayed remarkable consistency during the tournament, losing only once in six matches. The team held strong sides such as China, England and Australia to draws and remained competitive throughout the campaign.
The victory over Germany provided a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased the growing confidence and maturity of Indian women’s hockey on the world stage.
Navneet’s goals proved decisive as India capitalised on their opportunities and produced a disciplined performance to secure the fifth spot.
The result is expected to provide a major boost to the team as it builds towards future international competitions.